Carl’s Jr. And Hardee’s Rolled Out the Ultimate Burger for Bacon Lovers

The new 3-Way Thickburger at Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. Photograph by Business Wire — CKE Restaurants

Good news, bacon lovers: On Wednesday, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s announced the release of its new 3-Way Thickburger, a 1/3-lb patty topped with three different types of bacon.

Served on a brioche-style bun, the burger is topped with with lettuce, tomato, American cheese and three types of bacon, atop a 1/3-lb Angus-beef patty, of course. But in addition to featuring two of its traditional bacon ingredients (thick-cut, Applewood-smoked bacon strips and crumbled bacon) the Bacon 3-Way Burger will introduce “bacon jam,” a fast-food first.

The jam combines bacon pieces, balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions and molasses, and according to Brad Haley, the chief marketing officer for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, the bacon jam is the true winner of the new burger.

“Sure, the Bacon 3-Way Burger has plenty of bacon in the form of thick-cut, Applewood-smoked bacon strips and crumbled bacon, but the real star is the bacon jam, which is starting to show up on fine-dining and casual-dining menus across the country,” he said. “It’s a little sweet, a little savory and a lot bacon-y, so what’s not to love?”

According to the company, Diana Kelter, a foodservice analyst with global market intelligence agency Mintel, said bacon jam fits squarely within the trend towards sweet and savory menu combinations. It even saw a compound annual growth rate of 50% on U.S. menus between 2013 and 2016.